Tale of the Banished
by TheFuzzyKiwiFruit
Summary: A once mortal girl called Veil wronged the gods in 66 A.D. and was exiled for eternity. Now, in modern time, she must choose to either help Gaea and be released from her banishment or help the gods, who have caused her so much suffering through the centuries. First Story! Yay!
1. Prologue: 66 AD

Tale of the Banished

_Prologue: 66 A.D._

Romans are monsters, I've always told myself. They are greedy, violent, and have a very unhealthy thirst for what they call "glory." It's truly disgusting, the way they find magnificence in destroying the lives of the innocent. They call themselves heroes, but they're really just servants of evil sent to earth for the sole purpose of terrorizing, tormenting, and tearing apart the beautiful tapestry that was Greece.

How much I hate the Romans, I cannot tell. They can be described with words that are too horrible to record. Can they not simply be happy with what they have? No, of course not. They insist upon expanding their territory.

All I can say is that too much ambition isn't a good thing. Ambition turns people into foul, wicked beasts. It kills the human inside and replaces it with a selfish animal that hungers for power and control.

I do feel a small glimmer of pity for those who fall into the trap of savage desire. But mostly, it's pure hate. I will never forgive the Romans for what they've done to my family, my poor little brothers (Their names were Festus and Cato. They were twins). And I will never forgive the gods for letting their petty pride get in the way of helping people in need.

Are gods not supposed to have mercy on human beings? At least that is what I was taught when I attended the Eastern Orthodox Church.

Well, perhaps I am wrong about this part. There is a difference between God and gods, and it is _not_ because one is plural and the other is singular. "God" refers to the one heavenly being that was said to have created the universe. That is what the Orthodox Church taught. And "gods" addresses the many divine beings in Greek myths who each watch over something; Zeus rules the sky, Athena stands for wisdom, Ares looks out for the most bloody wars.

For a long time, I believed in God, with a capital "g." I was born in Greece and lived there for a long time. My parents were Christians and so my brothers and I were, too.

Now, why do I hate Romans so much? First, I was born in a time that Greece was part of the Roman Empire. That would make me Roman, wouldn't it? Perhaps, but I have never considered myself that. I do not like to be placed in the same category as those greedy little scoundrels.

If you go through what I had gone through, you'd understand my emotions. Allow me to start from the very beginning…

My name is Veil. I had two brothers whom I loved with all my heart. My whole family was Christian and proud of it.

Notice that I address my family members in past-tense and myself in present. Something happened to my family after the Romans took over. But I will not speak of it until I get to that part of the story.

The year was 66 A.D. I was fourteen at the time, almost fifteen. The emperor of the Roman Empire was a despicable man named Nero.

A great fire burned down a portion of Rome in 64 A.D. Emperor Nero immediately blamed the Christians for this great tragedy. I have no idea what sort of logic that was, but many Romans believed him and began persecuting people like my family.

And so, Christians began worshipping in secret. We gathered in hidden locations to perform our ceremonies and services. It worked for a few months, but the emperor eventually discovered us. He didn't like Christianity and ordered us to worship the Roman gods who were really just Greek gods with different names.

If you ask me, I think the emperor was just upset that not everyone was bowing at his feet. How shamelessly vain! I knew that I could never worship someone like that.

My family kept going to the secret meetings because we were not afraid of the emperor. The second time the Romans discovered us, we were in big trouble.

If I had not been so naïve as to think that the Romans wouldn't punish us, I would have begged my mother and father to stop going to the meetings.

It was terrifying when the emperor's men came to arrest us.

It was close to evening on a hot summer day. The Roman soldiers shouted at us and dragged us out of our house. As they took my family to the palace of the emperor, I recognized the faces of other people who had gone to our secret worshipping services. They were going to be punished, too, just like us.

"Veil, I'm scared," Festus whimpered weakly as we were escorted away from our home. He and Cato were only twelve. They clung to my arms, shaking from fear. "What are they going to do to us?"

I couldn't answer for I did not know either.

Nero's home was a large, spacious manor fit for royalty. Shrubs and bushes that surrounded the house were handsomely trimmed. The manor itself was made of white stone which I did not know the name of.

I cannot tell you what the inside looked like since I never actually went in. The Roman soldiers took us around Nero's house and to the backyard which was a beautiful place with marble fountains and a perfectly manicured lawn.

Upon seeing the stake surrounded by firewood, I knew what the emperor was going to do to us. Cato and Festus were rather clueless, however. With great effort, I kept a straight face and tried not to cry hysterically, for I knew that that would scare my brothers.

My family was lucky. We were not the first to be burned as a torch. Each night, Nero tied three people to the stake and set fire around them. The rest were forced to wait their turn while living in a filthy cellar at the north side of the emperor's manor.

Each night, the number of people in the cellar decreased by three. We were all scared to death.

I prayed every day, asking God to help us out of this mess. After praying, I'd cry myself to sleep, still murmuring pleads to the heavens. I was certain that a miracle would happen and that we'd all be saved, me, my family, and our friends. Perhaps an angel would fly down and rescue us from the flames. Or maybe the fire wouldn't light at all. Or _maybe _God will make me fire-proof so that the flames can't hurt us. I fantasized much about the wonders that God would perform to show that he has mercy on us, but that miracle never came.

On the eighth day, my parents were taken away. Nero's men came, forced them out of the cellar and to the stake in the emperor's backyard.

"Be brave," Mother told me before leaving. "Take care of your brothers, Veil. Be a big girl and remember that God loves you."

Cato and Festus cried, and I didn't even bother trying to hold back my own tears. I broke down sobbing as the Romans slammed the door to the cellar shut and dragged my mother and father away. I hugged my brothers, trying to cheer them up, but we only ended up crying harder.

When I prayed that night, I was beginning to lose faith. But I still poured all of my heart into my requests for a miracle. I concentrated so intensely that I gave myself a headache.

It was not until the eleventh day that Nero's men picked out my brothers to use as torches to light the night for the emperor. I was in my own corner of the cellar, sitting with my knees pressed to my chest, glazed brown eyes staring dully into space. The shock of mother and father being taken away had almost driven me to insanity. I was in a world of my own when the Romans came to escort the next three Christians to their doom.

I did not break out of my trance until I heard Cato screaming hysterically for me, "Veil! Veil! Help!" He and Festus were easily lifted to their feet by the Romans and slowly shoved toward the exit. "_Veil!_"

_No… No!_

Adrenaline exploded through my body as I shot up from my seating position. It was amazing how I did that. I haven't eaten a decent meal since we were captured, just a tiny loaf of bread and a small basin of water every day. I sprinted across the dirt floor, savagely pushing aside everyone who was standing in the way. "Leave them!" I shouted as I ran, my voice a couple of octaves highly than usual. I threw myself onto one of the Romans and begged in tears, "No! Please take me instead! You mustn't kill them! They have no sin!"

I must have weighed nothing from undernourishment as the Roman easily shook me off. I collapsed to the ground, still sobbing as I attempted to crawl after them. A few of the other prisoners tried to hold me down.

"There's nothing we can do," an old woman with crooked yellow teeth and gray hair soothed unsuccessfully. "You mustn't try to save them, you'll get hurt."

"I must! I _must!_" I continued to shriek and yell. People's arms were holding on to me, keeping me from going to save my poor, doomed brothers. "Get your hands _off!_ Let go of me! _Now!"_

The cried of my brothers were cut off abruptly as the cellar doors slammed shut.

"We can do nothing," the woman continued calmly. She seemed rather relieved than upset. "If you try to attack the soldiers, they will simply kill you in much more painful ways than being burned at the stake. Save yourself, girl. If we are pleasant, perhaps the emperor would spare us."

Upon hearing this, something within me snapped. I violently jerked away and spun around to glare furiously at the old woman. "You vile, selfish, rotten hag!" I jabbed my index finger at her. "Where is your moral? Do you think that I would rather live without my brothers than die saving them? Any decent person would have allowed me to aid them! You are all monsters!"

I spat the last sentence out venomously to all who had kept me from rescuing Cato and Festus. There was a hush, and I stormed to the far side of the cellar, making sure to kick dirt behind me so that those horrible people could taste it.

Sitting in that corner by myself again, I was so mad that my sobs were silent. I had not gotten to say a last good-bye to them. The last thing they told me was to go save them, and I had failed. That was it. After tonight, I would be the only person in my family to be alive.

I was angry like I had never been before in my life. I was angry at the Romans. They would be lighting the firewood around the stake and watching in amusement as Cato and Festus burned alive. My poor, poor brothers. Festus was the brightest person in the world. He was positive, funny, and always smiling. Cato was more serious, but he was the bravest of the three of us. I had always imagined that if our family were ever attacked, Cato would be the one to protect us when he grows up. But now, he won't grow up, and neither would Festus. They died at age twelve because I couldn't save them; killed by the Romans who had a freezing stone hearts. No, wait, scratch that. Their hearts aren't frozen; they don't have one.

I was angry with my cellmates for restraining me. I was angry with the disgusting old woman who tried to convince me that my brothers weren't worth saving. But most of all, I was angry at God.

The whole reason that my family was slaughtered was because we worshipped God. So why didn't He help us? Why didn't He save my brothers when I couldn't? Surely, He must have the power. But why didn't He do anything? For heaven's sake, we were all being burned at the stake for Him!

With those thoughts in mind, I prayed that night, but not to God. No, my faith had already grown too short. On the night Cato and Festus died, I prayed to the _gods._

It didn't change anything about Cato and Festus' death, but it definitely did _something._

The next day, that horrible old woman was taken away. I can't say I was upset about it. She deserved the stake after all the sins she showed the day before. Served her right, if you ask me.

Three days later, my doomsday finally arrived. I believe the date was May 3rd, but I can't be sure as I lost track of time. The Romans calmly came and took me and two older women out of the cellar and into the evening air.

I went without struggle. I did not wish to live another moment longer without Festus and Cato. Perhaps if there is such a thing as Heaven, I would see them there. And if there is Hades, then I am sure my brothers went to Elysium. They have done no wrong to deserve the Fields of Punishment.

The fresh air was the most invigorating thing I smelled upon finally being taken out of that filthy cellar. A strange thought occurred to me that this must be how tools and objects feel when you take them out of the attic after stashing them there for so long. I smiled bitterly at this.

The Roman soldiers steered me by my pale, boney arm to the stake where I was to die. My white dress had been dirtied, ripped, and unwashed for almost two weeks. It hung loosely from my skinny frame.

They decided to kill me first, which was fine with me. Just hurry and get it over with before I start sobbing in front of these repulsive monsters who call themselves humans.

One soldier directed me toward the stake and tied my wrists to the rough wooden pole.

I slumped against the stake, realizing how frail I was. Even after losing possibly thirty pounds in the cellar, my legs were still too weak to support myself entirely. I looked around me and saw a ring of firewood surrounding the stake. The sky was a strange shade of purple as it was twilight. Nero's flower bushes were in bloom.

A beautiful place to die, you'd think. But to me, the garden was the ugliest and most sickening thing I ever saw. It was mocking me.

I waited for what felt like eternity for the Romans to light the fire around me. And at last, they decided that it was time. I hung my head so that I wouldn't have to look at the face of the Roman who set the flames.

All was quiet for a moment before I heard the popping and cracking of the wood as it caught on fire. Seconds later, I felt heat near my bare feet and smelled smoke. The fire was slowly crawling its way around my stake like a glowing orange python. Even with my eyes closed, I could see the flickering, golden light that danced in front of me.

The smoke was the most horrible part, really. It rose up and into my eyes and nostrils. I was certain that I would die from smoke inhalation before the flames actually reach me. It also took a long time for the heat to become unbearable. When this happened, I was too light headed from the smoke to feel any real discomfort.

When the fire first licked my ankle, I let out a weak yelp and recoiled away. That was when I truly felt the panic that I was supposed to feel about the burning. I would have a slow and painful death. The fire would very slowly consume me, giving me plenty of time to feel the burns and suffer from them. Oh, why couldn't they have simply slit my throat? That would have been much faster and less agonizing.

I squeezed myself to my stake, but I knew it was no use. Sooner or later, the fire will spread far enough to where I cannot avoid it. Truly, I desperately wished that I could pass out. That way, I wouldn't feel the pain. As I was trying to force myself to faint, there was a strong gust a wind, and the fire danced higher. I braced myself.

Now, I was not expecting a miracle at this point. I had prayed with all of my concentration and sanity for one with my parents and brothers, but nothing had happened. I was most definitely did not believing that _my_ life would somehow be saved. But it did.

I saw the golden eagle as the fire finally made real contact with my skin. The bird was perfect in every way. It flew with great speed and strength across the sky. Its feathers were flawlessly folded and a beautiful metallic yellow. From a distance I could tell that it had a very handsome head and silver eyes.

I was so shocked at the sudden appearance of this rare bird, that I didn't notice the stinging that was coming from my calves as fire whipped around them.

The eagle was flying overhead and it looked right at me. Then it dived down.

Now that I think back to the exact moment the bird swooped down and carried me away, it was much larger than any eagle I have ever seen. Its talons easily cut through the ropes that bounded me to the stake with a soft _snip_. And the next thing I knew, I was dangling by my boney shoulders and lifted into the air by the bird.

The impact of being violently snatched away like that had knocked the breath and consciousness out of me, and my world went black.

When I came to, I was in an unfamiliar place. It was very bright in the chamber I woke up in. Well, perhaps "chamber" wasn't the best word to describe the place. It was a giant atrium with a polished marble floor and humongous white columns supporting a vaulted ceiling. Various scenes were painted on the ceiling which, with much effort, I recognized as illustrations from Roman myths. The air in hall was crisp and clean. All was quiet except for the soft crackling of a fire.

I forced myself to sit up, rubbing the side of my aching head. In front of me was a hearth with a flame prancing merrily in it.

Beside the fire was strange lady wearing brown robes and tending to the flames with a stick. She turned her attention away from hearth and looked at me.

I jumped with start as I saw her face. Her eyes had no separation between pupil and white. They were just pure gold and glowing like the fire she sat beside. Other than that, she looked very normal.

She did not smile at me or show any type of expression when our eyes locked. After a couple of seconds staring at me intensely, she sighed and turned back to her fire, speaking in an unnatural, echoic voice. "Please sit, my dear," she waved her hand and a shabby wooden chair appeared beside her. "The rest of the council will arrive soon to decide your fortune."

I stumbled forward, eyeing the lady wearily as I sank into the chair she conjured for me. It was so small and old that I thought it'd break if I touched it but surprisingly, it held. I scooted my seat away from the strange lady a little, "So, this must be what Heaven looks like… Are Cato and Festus here…?" I murmured quietly. Gazing down at myself, I found that I had no visible injuries from my burning. And my previously ripped and dirtied dress had been repaired and cleaned.

The lady shook her head at me. "No, child, this is not Heaven. It is simple a place for the gods to meet and discuss important matters."

I jerked up a little at this. "Gods…? Plural?"

"Yes, plural," the woman confirmed. "The Roman gods, to be exact."

"Which one are you? Diana? Juno?" I asked, my mind becoming clearer by the second. If there were gods, then there _must_ be an Underworld. Perhaps I will be able to see my dear brothers again. The happy thought propelled me to concentrate on the lady's reply.

"I am Vesta, goddess of home," she said. "You are in the throne room of the gods, my girl. I suggest you show some respect. I know that my sister does not favor the use of her name so casually."

"Your sister? You mean Jun-"

"Watch your mouth," Vesta interrupted, a small amount of annoyance laced through her words.

I reluctantly pressed my lips together. Gazing around the atrium we sat in, I noticed twelve thrones materialize from nothing. They were all quite magnificent in their own unique way. There was a tall elegant one with peacock feathers decorating it and a goatskin cloak resting in the seat. Another throne was made from many layers of curling grape vines.

Suddenly, there was a loud slam that echoed around the atrium, like a large door closing. I gave a startled jump when I heard it. The serene quietness of the hall had been brutally interrupted by loud footsteps and more closing doors.

I saw Jupiter first. He was at least thirty feet tall; all the gods entering the room were that height. He had a serious face with a thick black beard. His eyes were electric blue and seemed to flash like lightning. And he wore golden armor and a long, billowing purple cape to identify him as the King of the Roman gods.

The other gods were not as regal as Jupiter, but they all emitted some sort of powerful aura. When the King of the Gods looked at me, I felt a strange buzzing sensation and heard the crackling of electricity (which I didn't know was electricity until Benjamin Franklin discovered it in the eighteenth century).

Each god or goddess sat down in one of the twelve thrones forming a semi-circle around the foyer. Jupiter sank into the biggest one at the center of the formation. Neptune's throne was to Jupiter's right and decorated with shells and coral. On his left was the tall throne with the peacock feathers; the seat of Juno.

The Queen of the Gods was the last to arrive and when she did, I let out a muffled yelp.

At first, I didn't think she was Juno. The pathetic old woman from Nero's cellar slowly shuffled toward the queen's throne, staring at me the whole time with emotions that I could not read. When she reclined into Juno's respected chair, I understood that I had been played with.

Jupiter cleared his throat and looked like he was going to say something, but I interrupted before he could get a word out.

"You!" I shouted at Queen of the Gods, speaking for the first time since the immortals made their entrance.

Juno looked at me calmly, still in the form of the old lady. She did not say anything.

That's when I exploded in rage. "What do have to say for yourself? Speak, you filthy hag!" my shout was shrill with anger.

_"…ilthy hag! Ilthy hag! Ag…"_ the words echoed for a long time. They bounced around the throne room like crickets. They kept going away and coming back again, as if to emphasize the fury dripping from them. I hoped that was enough to get through Juno's head.

It did, and the Queen of the Gods did not look happy. She shimmered and glowed, transforming into her true form: an elegant young woman wearing long, white robes and a golden crown in her shiny black hair. "Is that the first thing you have to say to me?" I could see the agitation in her royal, color-changing eyes. But she was doing a fine job at keeping composed on the outside. "After what I have done to help you?"

"Help me?!" I jumped up from my chair, knocking it over. "_You were there!_ You were _there_ when those soldiers took Cato and Festus away. You could have saved them. You're a _goddess_! Where are your almighty powers? Or are you really too cowardly to use them against a couple of _mortal_ soldiers?"

"Do not argue about something you don't understand, girl," Juno replied heatedly. "I kept you from being burned with your brothers. I kept you alive until I was able to convince my husband and Hecate to help you. The Mist must be controlled by Hecate in order to blind the mortals from the truth. Without my persuasion, you would have died a long time ago."

I fumed, remembering the same thing she had said in cellar. "At least I would have been with my brothers. They died for no reason. You _let _them get burned alive just so I can be saved? That is the sickest thing I have ever heard."

There were thoughtful murmurs from the other gods, as if they were a jury calculation my argument and evidence. Minerva and Ceres were speaking to each other in hushed voices. Diana and Apollo appeared to be disagreeing on something. Jupiter stroke his beard, carefully analyzing my words. But none of the gods dared to interfere with the matters of Juno.

"You are ungrateful, little mortal," Juno warned in an edgy tone. "The ungrateful will always be punished, whether it is in the realm of Pluto or in the mortal world. I suggest you humbly apologize to me, and perhaps I will spare you."

"Spare me from what?" I asked tauntingly. "Are you planning on killing me and sending me to the Fields of Punishment for eternity? Fine! But don't think that I'm at your mercy. I will _never_ be at the mercy of a vile, selfish woman who calls herself a goddess."

"Silence!" Juno stood up from her throne. She looked poised and calm from the backside, but her eyes were dancing with flames that reminded me of the stake. "You dare to challenge my powers? Know this, girl, if you think that your feeble mortal will is strong enough to withstand my punishments, you are pitifully mistaken." She spun around gracefully to look into the eyes of all the other gods in room, challenging them to object.

Jupiter even sank deeper into his throne, like her was trying to hide from his wife. It seemed that no one is foolish enough to stand up to the Queen of the Gods, not even Jupiter himself.

How disgraceful, I thought with an angry snort.

Juno then turned back to me with a sort of triumph look on her face, "I told you, the ungrateful will not find happiness, _ever_. At least not while I stand as the Queen of the Gods. You will be penalized, little girl."

I tensed, braced myself, ready to take whatever punishment she may sentence to me. I was _not_ going to let that poor excuse for a goddess bring me to my knees. If I can show that a mere mortal, like myself, could take Juno's punishment without breaking, perhaps the gods will be less frightened of her as well. I made a silent promise to myself that I'd come back here to visit the gods when they finally stand up to Juno and throw her off her pedestal.

"Veil Agathe Scipio Benedicta," the Queen announced, using my full name for dramatic effect. She pointed a long, slender finger in my direction. "I, Juno the Queen of the Gods, grant you immortality for as long as the River Styx flows through the Underworld. And with this everlasting life and youth, you are also hereby banished for eternity from the realm of the gods and all mortal civilization."

And with that, she thrust her hand toward me, and I was blown out of the throne room of the gods.

At first, I didn't think that the penalty would be very bad. That was before I realized that I had been tricked. I live forever and I am banished for as long as I live. The punishment will never end. The only way to escape exile is to die, but I can't die as Juno gave me divine life. I will never go to the Underworld and never see my deceased brothers in Elysium. I cannot go to Juno and beg her to take the curse off even if I wanted to. I'm banished from the realm of the gods forever. The only way to speak to Juno would be if the Queen herself came to visit _me, _which will never happen. It's a horrible cycle of loneliness, boredom, and torture.

Juno threw me in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, and I would have drowned but, wait, I was immortal, I couldn't.

When I tried to return to Rome, I could not. That was the part of the realm of the gods. I could not go to Greece either as that was part of the Roman Empire. I wandered around for many days, weeks, and months. I could not go near places of mortal settlements as I was banished from those, too. As a result, I ate food that grew in the wild, not that it would have made any difference if I didn't eat at all. I've already tried starving myself once, but my immortal life would not allow me to die in any way.

The months turned into years, and the years into decades. For centuries, I was exiled from any place the gods settle in. During this time, I moved around from place to place, staying far from civilization. Once, I wandered to Africa, and I suppose I must have looked very strange with my long, honey blonde hair.

And what about Christianity and worshipping the Roman gods? I dropped both of them, deciding that God didn't exist, and that the Roman gods were good for nothing pieces of scum.

The place that I finally established as my permanent home was a tiny island in the Northern Atlantic Ocean. It was remote, natural, and perfect for an outcast like myself to live. I found the island near the end of the nineteenth century and built myself a nice little cottage there. I started my own garden of exotic fruits and vegetables and occasionally cooked fish over a fire when I can catch them.

Once, many pieces of metal and other material washed up on my island. I thought that it would be a horrible waste to throw them back into the ocean. So, I dragged the materials to my cottage and forged them into something useful. In 1912, I made my first weapon. It was a nice, long bow made out of wood from one of the trees around my cottage. Then I attached some metal to the wood and fused a steel armor over it for protection. And with the remaining material, I shaped them into long blades at the ends of my bow.

I could not think of a time that I would actually need the weapon, but I did feel very superior walking around my island with that thing strapped to my back. It was a decoration, I suppose, for I was not very good at shooting.

I would have been really happy and relaxed with my way of life if it wasn't for the fact that I will never meet my brothers and parents again in the Underworld. I always remind myself that the Romans and their gods are despicable. They cannot be trusted, especially not the Queen of the Gods.

* * *

**A/N: Well? Is it good? Could it use some work? Please tell me in the reviews! And remember, this is my first story. Is you see some flaws, please tell me in small words, okay? Thanks for reading :)**


	2. Gaea's Task

Chapter I: Gaea's Task

_21__st__ Century A.D._

Of all my years in exile, I've had only one visitor. And this visitor didn't _really_ visit me physically; she came in a vision. It was the 21th century (I kept track of the years by the seasons), finally, and I had just about covered up all the walls of my cottage with tiny tally marks, counting each day that I had lived in banishment. Eventually, I had to begin counting one tally mark as a full week or month as to not run out of space by the 1960s.

I haven't spoken to a person in so long; you'd think that my vocal chords would be cracking from disuse. But I talked and murmured to myself and sometimes, to the island. I have heard no other human voice in what felt like eternity. That is why I was so drawn to the voice of my one visitor. She wasn't exactly human, but her voice sounded like one.

The guest came during the summer. I did not know exactly what month it way, but I knew it was summer for the long days and short nights told me so. That day, I was especially angry with the gods. Every time I thought of them, I just wanted to break whatever it is I'm holding in my hands. But _that_ day, I was exceptionally emotional for I had realized that I no longer remembered the faces of Cato and Festus.

For centuries, I'd been careful to preserve the memories of my family, but I woke up that morning with no recalls of what my brothers had looked like. I spent the morning trying in vain to remember Cato's narrowed eyes and Festus' goofy smile. But my mind just went blank.

I was first very aggravated with myself for forgetting. How could I possibly forget the faces of the two people I loved the most!? How could I have let this happen? I took out my fury with myself out on the stone wall of my cottage but only ended up with bruised and bloodied knuckles.

As I treated my abused fist, I wandered if anything big had happened out in the world. There _must_ have been wars, I was sure. I wandered if the Roman Empire was still standing and if it fell, what had the strength to destroy such a powerful civilization? Murmuring to myself about how satisfying it would be to what the Romans run for their lives, I also thought about whether the gods have faded yet. Gods can't die, but they fade when they are no longer needed and all they stood for was demolished. Maybe Juno would be gone now. Maybe my banishment is over, I thought hopefully, perhaps I could return to Greece now.

Before I got too optimistic, I stopped myself. Letting a bitter smile spread across my lips, I knew it was only wishful thinking to hope that Juno had faded. She was the_ Queen_ of the Gods and the goddess of marriage. As long as marriage existed, she would still be around. And I had no doubts in mind that people still got married.

Then, the strangest thought occurred to me. What if the human species had gone extinct in the last twenty centuries? If I ever get out of my exile, what would I find anything when I go back to Greece? Would there still be civilization there? Time changes things and for all I knew, the earth could be dead! I could find my way to Africa or something, and do whatever struck me fancy. With no people, there is no civilization on the planet. I could literally go anywhere I wanted if mortals no longer existed –

_No,_ I was horrified with my wishes. To wish the entire human race to be extinct just so I could go wherever I wanted? It was savage, really, just like the Romans.

I went on with my day, keeping my thoughts clear and mind focused on picking exotic fruits which grew around my island. I would need them when the cold whether comes in a couple of months.

When I went to sleep that night, my only visitor in two thousand years came to me in a dream.

In my dream, I stood on a very high cliff where I could see mountains, plains, trees, and plants in the distance for miles and miles. It was just me and the earth, _literally _just me and the earth. There was no sun or moon or stars. There was no wind, either which was very odd. But the weirdest part was that there was no sky or clouds. Where the sky was supposed to be was simply a void of nothingness. There was nothing to eavesdrop on the conversation I was going to have with Mother Earth. I heard a woman's voice. It was soft and powerful at the same time, as if the earth itself was speaking in a whisper.

I didn't know where the voice was coming from at first, until I looked out from my cliff again. The mountains, valleys, and other landforms had shifted to form the shape of a lady's face. She looked peaceful, looking up at the sky with eyes made of two large flower bushes.

Gaea's eyes turned toward me, which looked very surreal with shrubbery as irises. _"I know you've been suffering, my dear," _she said in a welcoming, pleasant tone. It seemed that she _really_ understood my problems and the misery I've endured for so long. The voice was persuading, hypnotic even. _"Help me wake, Veil, and I shall reward you handsomely. How long have you been longing to see your brothers? How long have my grandchildren ignored you? Help me, dear girl, and we will overthrow the gods together."_

Ever since I was saved from the stake by Jupiter's golden eagle, nothing seemed to surprise me about the Roman deities. But seeing Gaea in front of me then, as the earth itself, I began to truly wander what was happening outside of my isolated island that I've called home for so long. Has something happened to stir Gaea from her ancient sleep?

I must say, the goddess's words were very tempting. Gaea was a powerful goddess with far greater supremacy than Juno, if only she were fully awake. I did not doubt Mother Earth's power to destroy the gods, but the only thing that troubled me was whether Gaea could be trusted. If I help her, would she keep her word and lift my banishment? Or would she cast me away like an old pair of sandals after she gains full control over the world?

_"You are troubled,"_ Gaea succeeded in reading my mind. She smiled softly, speaking again in her sleepy, influencing tone, _"I can let you go the Underworld, Veil. Once I am completely awake, I can even bring your brothers back from Hades. You will all live together again, in peace. I will create a paradise just for the three of you…"_

"My parents, as well?" I asked shakily. I could feel my will slowly cracking open at the mention of Cato and Festus, whom I have not seen in nearly two thousand years. I remembered how I could not picture their faces anymore. Were they drifting around somewhere in the Underworld as ghosts? Were they enjoying themselves in Elysium? _Were_ they in Elysium at all? Wherever they were, I would be able to see them again if Gaea truly means good.

_"Your parents, too," _Mother Earth confirmed. _"And who knows? Maybe once I free you from your expulsion, you'll meet a nice young man to live your new life with…"_ Now she was just teasing me.

I clenched my fists and made sure not to look at Gaea as I said, "Quit playing with me, Gaea. We both know that the boy I liked is dead now." I used to fancy a handsome boy when I was living in Greece. He was a couple of years older than me and was very attractive. Cato and Festus would tease me about it a lot, but they always end up trying to get the boy to notice me. He never did. The last time I saw him was few months before Nero captured the Christians. After all these years, I've slowly stopped thinking about him. I don't think I even remember his name.

"_And besides me,"_ Gaea must have sensed my annoyance and quickly changed the subject. It wouldn't be easy to convince an angry person to do you a favor._ "there is no one else in this world that can bring poor Cato and Festus back to the land of the living. No one else can even take you to the Underworld to see them as ghosts. No one else will lift your curse, either." _Gaea now stared at me intensely, almost challengingly. _"I am offering my help, Veil. But first, I must ask for yours. This is your only chance. Do you understand?"_

I swallowed. Even though I knew I was only dreaming, it was still not hard to feel nervous while _the_ Mother Earth was offering you a better life in exchange for helping her rise to full power. If I refused, how long would it be before another opportunity like this comes around? Maybe never… If there is a war between Gaea and the gods, surely Gaea would win. She was the most ancient goddess of all. She knows things; secrets, hidden loopholes, and the mysteries of the world.

The earth goddess was still waiting for my answer, her poppy bush eyes gazing into my soul, seeing my most hidden desires and fears.

I really had nothing to lose, only much to gain if the earth goddess keeps her promises. "Swear it," I ordered. "Swear upon the River Styx that you will bring my brothers back if I help you."

The earth hesitated for a split second, but I noticed it anyway. Gaea quickly regained her composure and smile, as if she respected my request. _"I swear, my girl."_

I was quiet for a long time, wandering if I was making a huge mistake by doing this. "Okay, what must I do, Lady Gaea?"

Mother Earth chuckled. Her laugh made the land shake softly, like a minor earthquake. _"Smart girl… I'm glad I spoke to you before the gods did. They've probably forgotten about you after all these years. Well, it's really too bad for them…" _Gaea smiled with amusement.

"No," I croaked bitterly. "Juno remembers me. I know she does. I made her very angry, back in the first century. I don't think she'd forget me so easily." In a way, I was a bit disappointed that the gods did not come to my island and beg for forgiveness before Gaea showed up to convince me to join her side. "Please, just tell me what must be done, and I will do it to the best of my abilities."

And so, Gaea told me while I listened very carefully, _"I am giving you a very important task. When you wake up," _she instructed._ "you will find a large statue of Athena on the southern side of your little island. That is the Athena Parthenos, and it is vital for my victory against the gods. The statue will be guarded by a satyr, a demigod, and a Roman praetor. The demigod will be weak from traveling. You are to shoot him with your bow and kill him."_

I successfully hid my shock and horror at this request, "Lady Gaea, I am afraid that my shooting skills are not the best."

_"You mustn't worry about that,"_ Gaea replied calmly.

Suddenly, three gleaming arrows rose out of the ground from under my feet. They were beautifully crafted, and the stem and tail looked like they were made of solid gold. I wasn't sure what the arrow head was made of, but it looked like a thick, pointy shard of glass with a chamber dark purple liquid at its center.

_"These arrows were crafted for Apollo,"_ Gaea explained as I picked up one of them for examination. _"My grandson Prometheus took them as an extra prize while he was stealing fire from the gods. Take them; they are enchanted to never miss their target. The simplest graze by this poisonous tip and the victim will die instantly."_

Upon hearing this, I retracted my hand away from the arrow head, feeling a little paranoid, "Thank you, my lady," I managed to say and quickly set the arrows down, not wanting to make any more contact with them, lest I accidently poke myself with that dangerous glass point.

_"The demigod must be killed first, that is key." _If Gaea knew about my paranoia, she didn't address it and continued with explaining her task for me._ "Without him, the others cannot get away with the statue. I must warn you, the praetor is a skilled and quick fighter. But she is not faster than an arrow. She must be killed second as she would be the most dangerous. Use your next arrow for this. Shoot at her head; that would be the only place that is free of armor."_

"And the satyr?"

Gaea laughed gleefully, _"You needn't concern about him. He's – what do youths call them these day? – an old nutcase. Use the last arrow if you must, but I strongly doubt that you'll need it. Secure the statue; that is your primary goal, my girl. If the statue safely arrives in the United States, I'm afraid we won't win the approaching war."_

"The United _what?_" I had never heard of that country before.

Mother Earth chuckled with amusement, _"You should really catch up on your geography, my dear. The United States of America is far to the west of your island. It's quite an interesting place, you know…"_

I have to keep a giant Athena statue from arriving at a country I don't even know about by murdering its escorts… I should have known that this wouldn't be easy. Getting my brothers back is a very pricy feat. Am I willing to sacrifice a demigod and a Roman praetor in return for the lives of Cato and Festus? Well, the praetor, I'd gladly kill without much thought – she's Roman, and I strongly dislike them – and the demigod is the child of one of the pitiful "gods" who banished me.

With that, I did not argue with myself anymore. My brothers' lives were worth thousands of Roman and demigod lives. To kill one Roman and one demigod would be a reasonably low price to pay for Cato and Festus to join me in the land of the living again.

_"Don't fail, my dear," _Gaea warned, breaking be from my train of thought. _"If you do, there may be penalties…"_

_ Wait… What?_ Before I could say anything more, Mother Earth wiped the dream away, like fog on a window.

I jolted awake in cold sweat. _Penalties…_ that's all I hear about from the divinities. They're always talking about how there will be negative consequences if you don't do what they want you to do. I've heard it too often, and I did not like hearing it again from Gaea. But nonetheless, if I am to reunite with Cato and Festus, failing is simply not an option.

The dream had been so surreal. Why had the almighty Gaea wanted to speak to me, of all people, when no one had paid any attention to me for practically ever? For a split second, I was convinced that the dream was simply that, a dream. Wanting to go back to sleep again, I absently reached under my pillow to pull it closer. But I froze when I felt something cold and solid under there.

Jerking up violently, I lifted my pillow and saw something that erased all doubts about Gaea's existence and the task she gave me. Under my pillow were the three golden arrows with which I was instructed to use in order to murder the Athena Parthenos' three innocent companions.

* * *

**A/N: Yay! Second chapter done! Hopefully, this adds some suspense within the story. And I'm sure you all know who the three escorts are, if you read The House of Hades. I probably should have done this earlier but DISCLAIMERS: I DO NOT OWN PERCY JACKSON AND THE OLYMPIANS AND THE HEROS OF OLYMPUS SERIES. Also, if you haven't already figured it out, there is going to be HOH spoilers in this story, so if you haven't read that book, go read it now, and come back later, okay? And reviews are much appreciated!**


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